The Relationship Between Mentor and Apprentice
by TraumaticVampiress
Summary: Prince of Destruction series. Prince Blake Stormhunter, prince and Grandmaster level wizard,takes on his own apprentice that just so happens to be defective! If their relationship isn't strong enough, he may never be able to teach her properly or be able to save her from herself.
1. Lalalala Hi

Hi. My name is Prince Blake Stormhunter and I rule Dragonspyre along with my brother, Prince Wolf Battleblade. I am fourteen. My girlfriend is Princess Danielle Moondreamer of Celestia and her sister is just plain ol' Brecken Daythistle. My dear cousins are Princesses Jasmine Soulblood and Alyssa Unicornblade of Grizzleheim.

But of course Wolf and I don't rule our fair world alone, we have checks and balances. Just like in that country known as "America".

Recently Jasmine (age twelve) insisted that I sign up for the "Apprenticeship Progam" that Ravenwood was hosting, which was where Grandmasters or higher take on an apprentice and train them until level thirty-five. Me, being a level fifty-six, and Jasmine, level fifty-one, thought I was the better of the two to train her sister if she was assigned to him.

But of course that sweet little girl (age six) wasn't assigned to me. Jasmine forgot one thing: Alyssa was a Life wizard. So as soon as I was assigned an apprentice, Jasmine withdrawled her sister from the program because she's a sharp girl that can take care of herself. In some cases, she's even wiser and smarter than her sister. Not to mention even more well-manored.

Instead of Alyssa, my apprentice was another girl. A fourteen-year-old girl. A Storm wizard. Named Tatiana Seahammer. At first I thought her name meant nothing, but then I remembered. In my family, it's tradition to grant a child with a last name that suits his or her personality; and man does she pack a wallop!

Tatiana had bizzare, silver eyes and curvy lips that wore purple lipstick. Her hair was somewhat short and spikey in the back, but she had bangs hanging over her right eye. The color was magenta. She dressed in the Storm colors: Purple and yellow.

"Hello, mentor." She greeted as she strode up to me on our first day of training.

"Err.. Hey.. Tat...Eye..anna.." I read off of my scroll.

"It's Tatty-anna." She corrected me.

"Okay, Tatiana." I corrected myself after her. "The first thing we need to do is test your water type." I said, putting the scroll away.

"Test my water type?" She sounded confused.

I nodded. "Storm wizards always have to start off by "bending" only Fresh Water. It's rare, but a few Storm Wizards are born with the ability to bend Estuary Water, which is harder to fix as they level up. Only advanced wizards can bend Sea Water."

"That's dumb." She told me.

"You won't think that when you're dying of thirst in Krokotopia. Now, show me what you can do." Yeah, I probably forgot to mention that we're standing outside of the Ravenwood entrance with no one but ourselves and Bartleby and the other school trees occasionally supervising.

I stepped back as she held up her Baton Wand and her other hand. "Nn.." Was the weird sound she purposely chose to make as she strained to make the tinest spring of water come out of the ground.

Atlast it did. I bent down and held my hand up, filling it with water, and sipped it. I spat it out instantly. "Plleah!"

"What's wrong?" She cried, her voice dotted with worry. Although she still tried to control her spring, which quickly errupted into a cold geyser.

A lightning bolt quickly errupted from the sky and dove through the chilly geyser, splitting it and splashing water onto us and Blossom. It stopped.

"What's going onnn, Wizaaards?" Professor Halston Balestrom asked us from outside the Storm school a few yards away.

"I think Tatiana's one of those Diviners." I told him.

"Ohh?" He stuck his tongue out as some of the remains of the water rained down. "Eugh, it's not Estuary Water, Blake!"

"It's not?" Tatiana sounded worried enough that she might piss her pants.

"Noo! It's _Sea_ Wateeer!"

"S-Sea Water?" I repeated.

"Come along, Miss Seahammer, so we can fix this." Professor Balestrom motioned for her to come over.

She ran over and picked him up, snuggling him. "Oh, you're so cute!"

"He won't be when I dissect him." I whispered. It was an old joke between me and the professor. Me going to dissect him. Heh.. Heh.. Heh heh. Uh, Uh.

"Wait, Professor Balestrom! I can help her! Promise!"

"Are you sure?" Halston gasped, trying not to suffocate from Tati's intense hugging. "Not even a Transcended wizard could handle such a task.."

Tatiana giggled, putting the professor down. "I'm a problem."

"Yeah, and you sure pack a wallop." I said, scratching behind my head. "That was some fountain you conjured up."

"Conjure.. That's something Morgan would say!"

"Who's Morgan?" I asked stupidly.

"Morgan Moonvault is my best friend, she's a Myth wizard!"

I exchanged a glance with Professor Balestrom. We both knew - Their relationship would either crumble or become unbelieveably strong as they became stronger wizards.

"Okay, Tatiana. I think that's a good enough lesson for today." I sighed.

"But I didn't even learn anything!" She protested.

I waved as I walked towards the Commons tunnel. "Relax and go eat some pie. Oh, and Happy St. Patricks Day."


	2. The Magical Dome of Rain

"Okay, ladies." I ran over the grass near Tatiana and the fair Morgan while holding a Mooshu rice hat over my head as rain beat down on it. "Time to get out of the river... Although I really shouldn't have to be telling you." I muttered.

The two teenage girls came splashing out, giggling, and spraying me with river water as they came up to me.

"Go wait under the Gazebo, Morgan." I pointed behind me to my left, were Ceren Nightchant didn't even stand in this weather. "Me and Tatiana might be awhile."

Morgan nodded, holding her rain-proof witch's hat tight on her head as wind blew hard, blowing the braid duo she kept in the front of her face far in the wind.

I sighed. "Okay, Tatiana. I need you to try and see if you can redirect this rain."

She nodded, and drew her Baton Wand. She got into position. "Nn... Nnnnnn... I can't do it." She stood back up.

"Are you mad?" I put my hands on my hips. Yes, I'm a guy and I put my hands on my hips. "You get an F for effort!"

"Fine, I'll try again!" She snapped. "Nnn..."

Tatiana tried for an entire twenty minutes and didn't get a thing done. The wind got so bad that Morgan insisted on leaving, but I told her it was too dangerous for her to go without me.

"Okay, Tatiana." I pulled a flask out from inside my jacket. "This sea water. Pure sea water. Nobody conjured it up." A poured it on the ground infront of her, and it dripped down the side of the hill. "Try redirecting that."

"Nn.." With less stress than before, Tatiana easily persuaded the water to change course and flow up the hill and around my feet instead.

"Yeah, thanks for soaking my socks." I said sarcastically.

"You're very welcome." Tatina smiled.

The wind suddenly blew much, much harder. Tatiana winced and grabbed onto her hat, and so did I.

"Ahh, Blake! Make it stop!" Morgan cried, holding onto the gazebo and trying not to blow away.

"It's just like the Dark Wind spell.. I don't know if I _can_ stop it, Morgan!"

"You can't stop it?" Morgan screeched. "Ahh!" She lost her grip and flew back towards us. I grabbed her and nearly fell over. She held up a shiney card.

"I have a Time of Legend treasure card!" She cried.

"Great!" I snatched it out of her hands and dropped her, running over to pick my trident up off the ground. I drew the Myth insignia and slammed onto it with the length of my trident, casting it.

A small flare started infront of me, which expanded and, as we could clearly see, eventually domed around the entire chunk of floating crap that we call Wizard City.

"You saved the day, Morgan!" I cheered.

To do list:

Make lower level wizards believe that you cannot help in a time of peril to boost their self-esteem. Check.

"I didn't do much.." Morgan stood up.

My temperature suddenly dropped as cold, stinging, tiny ice crystals formed on the back of my neck, which I smacked my hand onto because the stinging sensation bothered me. I managed to uncover them as the product of sea water, considering how they smelled.

_"Could it be...?"_

Splits seconds before the toes of her shoes were even visible, a slide of ice curved out of the tunnel leading to the commons; Growing by inches as a Snow-Maiden surved down it and eventually stopped growing at my feet.

As she got close enough to me, she slid her feet side ways, slowing down at the last cubic foot of ice and spraying ice flakes at me.

She squinted at me. "Stormhunter."

"Moondreamer." I squinted back.

My girlfriend grinned as she wrapped her arms around me in a hug. She pulled away and I brushed away a peice of white hair that had fallen out from her Dragoon Cowl. Celestian Princess. Dragonspyreon attire.

"Hey, Danie-"

"Aren't you Princess Danielle Moondreamer?" Tatiana rushed to my side.

Danielle blinked her long, beautiful eyelashes. "Yes. How did you know? Is my disguise not well enough?" She rose a hand to her cowl.

"Oh no, it was just the last name and the first letter was all." My apprentice admitted.

"Oh..." Danielle started. "I guess that sounds resonable."

"I guess Celestian trading cards aren't?" She whipped out a fan of cards from who-knows-where, with Danielle's picture on a blue card on the edge.

"No.." She replied.

Sadly, Tatiana put them in her pocket.

"...So. Was she one of those Diviners?" Danielle asked me.

"Yes and no.." I replied.

"What do you mean?"

"It isn't.. Estuary water.. It's pure sea water!"

"Salt water?" Danielle's eyes grew wide. "How do you expect to fix that?" She pursed her lips and sounded a bit angry.

I pursed my lips, too. "I'm working on it..."

"You better, Stormhunter. Or there is gonna be hell to pay later, and I can't help you!" She shoved me and summoned more ice just before she surfed away.

"We should probably go back, too, girls." I waved for them. "Morgan, Cyrus is gonna have a hissy fit if you don't hurry up!" They quickly ran over to me and we trudged back to Ravenwood.


	3. Ankles

Tatiana. What was I going to do with her?

I sat with my feet dangling over lava at the edge of some ruins in Dragonspyre, when I heard a crunch behind me. I swung around, stabbing the blunt end of my trident on the ground to ward off any beasts attempting to assassinate me, when I saw a girl.. Or woman she was about nineteen, in guardian's attire, colors lightblue and white looking at me. She looked as if she were scavenging for something. Was she poor? She certainly didn't look it, but she had a collection of bricks and empty bottles and cans in her arms.

I raised my hand. "Hey-"

She dropped her pile and ran off.

"Wait! Where are you going?"

She sprinted at full speed towards the closest ruined tower. Looking back at me, when she suddenly collapsed.

"Oh god.." I whispered as I ran down and knelt beside her, hoping she was okay.

"Ma'am..?" Wanting to be sure she didn't have a concussion, I lifted her elegant hat off of her silver-haired head. I gasped, before me was a set of little white fox ears.

She stirred a little and I felt a sudden burning sensation in my right cheek. She clawed me with her fingernails!

"Hey! What's the big idea?" I shouted.

She grabbed her hat from me and put it on her head, preparing to get up and run again, when she grabbed her right ankle.

"Don't touch it," I commanded her. I inspected it. "Hmmm.. It looks a lot like my ankle when I twisted it. "Hey, it's okay, I'm not going to hurt you. I'll make sure your cared for, Ms.…?"

"My name is Stephanie Lightsong, and I don't need your help." She tried to get up again, when pain washed over her.

"Nonsense! You can ride on my big cat, she's very kind and gentle." I pulled a wooden whistle on a string out from my armor that I wore around my neck and blew into it. A royal lioness stood up from her nap in a pile of ruins and shook herself off.

"There we are, Nala."' I patted the big cat. "You better take good care of her, hear?"

Nala roared in reply.

•°•

So I took Stephanie Lightsong back to my personal castle hidden in Dragonspyre. Yeah, not even Wolf is allowed to go there.

..

I hurt him if he does.

"This is very kind of you," Stephanie said as she sat up in my guest bed.

"It's no problem," I said as I finished brewing tea in the pot on the floor. A little artifact I got from Mooshu on my travels there. "There we are," I poured it into a cup and handed it to her. It instantly chilled over the minute I placed it in her hands.

I reached for one of the many kimonos hanging around us and took it off of its stand. Stephanie lifted her ankle up and I wrapped it around her injured ankle. "You know, I have a grandmother named Stephanie," I told her. "She's an Archmage Theurgist."

"And she's your grandmother? Does she still practice wizardry?" Stephanie asked, tilting her head.

"Oh yes!" I nodded. "And, well, she has some witch blood, too."

"You're a bit peculiar, where are you from?"

I looked at my clothes, and realized I was wearing heavy armor and a storm hat with a feather in it, some clothes I wore casually, I wasn't in my royal attire.

"I, am Prince Blake Stormhunter, at your service." I bowed.

Stephanie looked at me shocked. "You..?"

I sat on the bed with my feet dangling off the edge. "So, where are you from?"

"I'd rather not say-"

I crossed my arms. "I already saw your ears."

She sighed. "I live with the royal family in Grizzleheim as a servant."

If I had fox ears, too, they would have immediately shot up. "My cousins are royalty there.. W-What are these marks on your wrists?" I asked, turning one of them over in my hands.

"I-I lost Princess Alyssa's inhaler. I was due to pick it up and bring it back but I dropped it while I was battling the forest imps that attacked me. So I was punished."

"Something isn't right." I stood up and began walking down stairs.

"Where are you going?" She asked, although I did not answer.

I walked downstairs and walked to the corner where I had a giant red phone booth just for this kind of situation and open it, walked in, and closed it behind me. I dialed a hotline number.

"Hello?"

"Jasmine, it's Blake. You never told me you had a damn servant."

"Blake.. What are you talking about?"

"Cut the crap, Jasmine. You don't _do that_ to people. I don't have any servants."

"There's a difference between a servant and slave, smart one. And you do too have servants."

"Tell me why she's scavenging for garbage in Dragonspyre and why she has cuts on her wrists."

"Blake! I don't _know_ what you're talking about! Keep in mind I've been absent from Grizzleheim for _six _years!"

"But you're back now. Tell me everything you know about Stephanie Lightsong."

"Grandfather would say that Stephanie was out running errands. I thought he meant Granny Stephanie!"

"Since when did Alyssa have an inhaler?"

"I had no idea she even did!"

"Stephanie claimed that she was picking up Alyssa's new inhaler for her and lost it and she got punished for it."

"Grandfather would never do that to anyone.. Unless.."

"Jasmine..?"

"I'm sorry, Blake. I have to go now."

"Come on, Soulblood, don't hang up on-"

Too late.

"Where did you go?" Stephanie asked when I arrived back upstairs.

"Do you remember who did that to you?" I pointed to her wrists.

"His clothes were mostly red and he had a gold bow and arrow, that's what I remember."

"I see.. Well, I'm not too keen on taking care of Thaumaturges, but I think I know someone who is."

"Don't tell me, it's another royal?"

"Oh.. Nevermind. Maybe what you just need is rest. If you like, I'll bring you visitors later… And then you can tell me why you were rooting through the garbage and ruins."

"But-"

"Bye bye!" I ran downstairs before she could protest further.


	4. Stealing Food Nobody Wants

So I was casually walking through the commons in Wizardcity this morning. I was supposed to be getting food for Stephanie and I, since she was still at my castle, but hey, I'm a procrastinator. I noticed a girl of about seventeen years with black hair and a guy that looked around thirteen that also had black hair and robes that were tattered and torn and what not. He also looked rather pale. The girl was shouting at him, so I decided to stroll over. They were fighting next to Rainbow Bridge.

"What up, kiddos?" I called, raising my hand above my head and smiling.

They both glanced at me, and then turned their attention back to each other.

"Give it back!" The girl shouted as she hovered above his head. Sparkles drifted down from the black wings she had mounted. Like Stephanie's, but the ones she had were white. The boy's black panther sneezed from all the sparkly dust.

"Dude," I said, putting my hand on his shoulder. "Whatever she wants, you should probably give it back. Unless it's a bomb."

He grunted and reached into his robes, pulling out a katana, and handed it to her.

"Thanks," She said.

"_**You should ask them what their names are, Blake!"**_

I turned and saw my old and deceased friend, Alex Rainbowwalker, standing beside me. He was a ghost, and no ordinary ghost. I was the only one that could see or hear him. His color spectrum was just like that of Rainbow Road from Mario Kart, a game Wolf and I played- once, and he even had the same translucency as the track, too.

"Great idea, Alex!" I said to him. He was only about twelve when he died. He still wears that Dragoon Cowl and the rest of his Wizardcity novice clothes that he did when he died; because of me. I wiped tears away.

"Who are you talking to?" The boy asked.

"Yeah, are you okay?" The girl added.

"I'm fine," I told them. "Blake Stormhunter, nice to meet you."

"Cool name," The girl complimented. I stood proud, even if the last name was a bit.. Common. "I'm Jacqueline and this is… I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name."

"Equinox. That's all you need to know.." The boy told us in a hushed voice.

"Jacqueline and Equinox. Cool, so, I was just about to go get some grub for my friend and I, but.. You guys wanna… I don't know.. Grab a bite to eat?"

"You mean like a picnic?" Jacqueline asked. "Yeah, that sounds fun!"

"Sure," Equinox answered. "But where?"

"I don't know, where do you guys wanna go?"

"The Nightside."

"The Fair Grounds."

"Hmm.." I said. "Why don't we go to Unicorn Park? You guys go wait there and I'll go get some food."

"Deal."

"Sounds fun."

"Cool, see you guys there." I turned and ran off.

•°•

I crept into Colossus Boulevard and ducked behind a tree while I waited for a group of wizards to finish their battles with some Gobblers, the strange things.

They danced for a brief moment and then ran off. I raced to the middle of their empty ring and latched my hands onto a crate of food. I lifted it up and sprinted like hell.

•°•

"Come on, Stephanie!" I called five minutes after I arrived back at my castle with the crate. "They're waiting for us."

"I'm still surprised someone like yourself had to steal food," She told me as she fluttered down the stairs with her seraph wings; her ankle was still giving her trouble.

"Hey, I didn't have to," I said as I held up my trident and crammed it into the side of the box. I pushed down and the side broke off and pre-cooked bacon spilled out. "But it was quick and easy."

Stephanie flew over to the breakfast bar and grabbed the picnic basket and a few soft drinks while I scooped bacon back into the crate. She came over and I dumped handfuls of bacon into the basket before hiding the crate away under a sheet.

"I think that's all," I said.

•°•

"Took you long enough," Equinox said dryly as Stephanie and I sat down. "What did you bring?"

"Bacon…" Stephanie said, a bit embarrassed.

"Stormhunter!"

I turned around at the sound of my name to see Danielle angrily stomping towards me with two girls.

"What the hell do you think your doing?"

"..Eating." I replied.

She grabbed me by the shoulders and yanked me up towards her, as I had no fabric shirt to grab instead. "You were _supposed_ to be training Tatiana today!" She pointed to the two girls, and I could clearly see now that they were Tatiana and Morgan.

"Baby, please, not infront of my friends.." I whispered.

"I don't _care_, Blake!" She shouted, obviously ignoring my request. " You had a responsibility! You're letting her down! Ugh!" She threw me to the ground and stomped away, pushing past Tatiana and Morgan.

I glanced at my companions. "Girlfriend," I told them.

They nodded.

I turned my attention to Tatiana and Morgan. "So, ladies, wish to join us?"

They shrugged. "Sure."

I reached into the basket and pulled out a can of orange juice and threw it in Tatiana's general direction, accidently hitting Morgan's forehead instead.

"Ow!" She cried.

"Uh… Sorry?" I cringed.

Tatiana bent down to pick up the juice. She grabbed Morgan's hand and walked over to sit down next to us.

"You have an apprentice?" Jacqueline asked. "Neat."

Tatiana smiled, opening up her bottle of juice. "It's nice to meet you. My name is Tatiana Seahammer and my friend here is Morgan Moonvault." She held her hand out and shook Jacqueline's hand. "And you've already met Blake. He ain't too bright so try not to break him."

I coughed into my arm. What was she talking about? I'm a genius!

"_**Yeah! You are Blake!"**_

"Oh, hello, Alex!"

"_**I see that you are having a picnic with your friends, Blake."**_

"Yes, Alex. Would you like to join us?"

"_**Sounds like fun!"**_

"..But we still don't know what's up with that.." Tatiana said unimpressed with a sweatdrop on her head.

"It's like he's talking to an imaginary friend…. And not one that a Myth student can see!" Morgan whined, hiding behind her friend.

"It is pretty freaky.." Stephanie added… "H-Hey.. I-I-Is that…..?" She pointed up the tunnel of Unicorn Way and I snapped out of my conversation with Alex. I looked where she was pointing and saw a mount, most likely a ram, with a figure or two riding it. The taller one sitting sideways. It wasn't ladylike to ride straightway while wearing a dress if you weren't going a long distance. I mean, if it even was a lady.

The taller figure gained purple pig tails and royal attire the colors red and white, whereas the smaller one gained a green dress laced with white and a pink ribbon and a paper tiara.

"Jasmine…" I whispered in awe as I looked up at my cousin's silver crescent moon birthmark on her forehead, and then her green eyes.

Stephanie dipped her head in a small bow. "Jasmine-Sama, Alyssa-Sama."

Jasmine looked confused. "How…. Do you know my name?"

Stephanie lifted her head. "I am Stephanie Lightsong."

Jasmine gasped and covered her mouth. She looked away, almost as if she felt ashamed.

"Stephanie!" Alyssa cried, dismounting Jasmine's ram, Shadowhorn, and ran to hug Stephanie.

"Hello, little lady." She greeted the small princess.

"Who… Are you?" Jacqueline questioned, looking up at Jasmine.

Jasmine gazed down at her. "I am Princess Jasmine Soulblood of Grizzleheim," Her hair, dress, and tulle from her hat stirred in the wind. "And this is my sister, Princess Alyssa Unicornblade."

"Oh.." Jacqueline dipped her head briefly. As she raised it up again, she smiled at the princess, and my cousin smiled back.

"..And you don't even have the decency to demount your ram."

All eyes went to Equinox.

Jasmine narrowed her eyes. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me," He started again, speaking dryly. "You act like this noble girl when you can't even demount your ram to speak to us."

Jasmine closed her eyes and chuckled. "Well, let's remember not a single one of you stood to speak to us.." Gently, she opened her eyes again. "Dear Valerian.."

Equinox bared his teeth, his bangs casting a shadow over his eyes.

"What have you come for?" Tatiana stood and shouted at her almost accusingly.

"Tatiana!" I snapped, and she sat down beside Morgan again.

"I've come to speak with my cousin, it's really none of your business, girl."

I could see that Tatiana's eyes were growing angry.

"..But I can now see that today was not such a good time. So, dear cousin, I will return another time. It was nice meeting you, Stephanie and Jacqueline. Come now, Alyssa, it is time to go." She smiled softly at her sister and held her hand out.

Alyssa let go of Stephanie. "Goodbye." She whispered. She reached out for her big sister's hand and light brown met tan as Jasmine hoisted her up and wrapped her other arm around her sister's waist, sitting her sister behind her.

"Farewell, cousin. We'll meet again soon," She parted goodbye to me as Alyssa wrapped her tiny hands around her sister's stomach and hugged her tightly. "_Ima osoku_, Shadoworn." Her ram turned around and walked away.

•°•That night, Jacqueline's perspective•°•

Blake's younger cousin looked really nice, and I wish I could have spoken to her if they could have stayed longer. I'm sure Jasmine is kind to, I can tell she cares a lot about her sister, but it seems she put on a tough act as soon as Equinox and Tatiana threatened her. Who is Valerian? I do not know. I also do not know who it is that Blake talks to out of the blue.

I am The Jackal, and I am a bounty hunter that will take the highest bidder, no matter the alignment of the task. However, I also love kids.

Tonight I am in an abandoned house in Marleybone, waiting for my client. After about 32 minutes of waiting, he finally arrives. He's a filthy rat in a cloak. He slaps a hat on the desk before me.

"I'll give you this hat if capture this person," He slides a file towards me. "That hat is a drop from Zafaria and is worth a _lot_ of gold."

I nodded. "I'll do it," And reached for the hat.

He slapped my hand. "No! I will pay you after the deed is done. I will wait one week for the task to be completed. And if it is not, there are others I can go to instead.." He slipped the hat inside his cloak.

"How do I know you will keep up your end of the bargain? What is your name?"

"My name is a secret. Your just going to have to trust me…. I'll return in a week." He climbed through the broken window and was gone.

I picked up the file and opened it. "Princess… Kayla Watershard?"

I scanned the file. She was twelve years old, had blonde hair, very dark brown eyes, tan skin like that Jasmine girl, slightly rosy cheeks, and pink lips. She looked very beautiful and elegant in her profile picture. It was a shame that I would have to capture her. Escpecially since she was only twelve.. She has an interesting mark, like the one the princess had, but different. This was a cress of courage she _earned_ and wasn't born with. And she was… A descendant of Krokopatra.

I slipped the file into my coat, ready to leave, when I heard a galloping sound near by. I sunk down to the floor.

"Looks like a decent place to raid," The voice said.

I heard glass shattered and fly over me as a figure landed inside. It was a girl with purple pigtails, white and red Grizzleheim armor (Which included a cape and a gold breastplate of some kind of raven), Marleybone heeled boots, and a Marleybone hat with a mask.

It was the wretched Lady Soulblood.

"My my, look what we have here." She grabbed me by the shirt and lifted he up to her level. I gazed at the large "Axe" in her hand, which was really just a long, two-handed sword with jagged edges that glowed and gave off a kind of glitter. "Who might you be?"

"I'm The Jackal," I told her in a strong voice.

"Is the Spiral really sending out more banditos? Geez, I thought The Stormhunter was the last one!" She dropped me and held her sword with the tip on the ground, her arm leaning on it, and one leg crossed behind the other.

"You know, it really is getting hard to stand out the magnificent night bandit I am when more and more of you keep showing up!" She grabbed her blade and jumped towards me.

I clashed my katana against her axe and stood, pushing her to the ground. "Atleast have the decency to take it outside!" I hollered, and ran out of the abandoned building and saw a ram standing by.

She ran towards me, a sadistic smile on her face, and slid on the ground, blade ready to slice my shins. I jumped up and did a flip, landing behind her.

She ran at me again and I clashed my sword into her axe. "You know.. You really shouldn't be taking other people's jobs like that.." She broke free and I clashed it again, this time both of our weapons pointing down. "It can really hurt their feelings!" She raised her blade and scratched my face, leaving a small cut that bled on my cheek.

"You're one to talk, you go around raiding and looting all night!" I clashed my swords against her axe once more. I would not be defeated by the likes of her! She went skidding across the ground, becoming bruised. I walked up to her, raising my sword up high over my head. I-I had her!

She grinned wickidly. 

"_Kikku wa ueda_!"

I my body burned as her ram bucked me from behind. I slid across the ground, not able to get up. Lady Soulblood strod up next to me. "Well well, it seems you didn't have me after all."

Using my magic, I formed a ninja star.

She raised her axe high above her head…

And I threw it.

It pierced her skin right below her shoulder and collarbone. She fell to the ground with a sickening thud and her axe clattered. Slowly, she got up, clutching the star and her sword with her other hand. She trembled, and the sword clattered against the ground. "It seems you are not as weak as I thought you were…." Carefully, she mounted her steed. "_Hayai Ima!"_ And he ran off.

Certainly Lady Soulblood was only faking? That wasn't her true power? Did she show me mercy?

..Or had I really hurt the Spiral-feared bandito?


	5. Fanceh Parteh

Today Jacqueline wasn't anywhere at school. I wanted to go check on her after school at her dorm, but Equinox said it would be best if we just left her alone. There's something strange about him, I can tell. But then again there's also a lot of strange things with me.

Not to mention me being The Stormhunter.

•°•Melissa Bluebreeze's Perspective•°•

I walked up the Girls' Dormitory and knocked on door 29. A few moments later a girl with Dragonspyreon attire opened the door.

"Ah, Melissa, do come in." She held the door wide opened and a bowed my head before gingerly stepping in. She closed the door behind her.

Danielle took her cowl off to reveal short, spikey blue hair. "Please, sit down." She motioned to two chairs sitting across from eachother with a coffee table in the middle. I nodded and sat down.

"You're quiet today," She commented as she set her cowl on the post of her bed and then joined me. "Do you have your 'rent' money?"

"I've never missed a collection day, Princess.." I said dryly as I removed a small sack from my shoe and handed it to her. "Twenty gold a month for 'rent'."

Danielle took the sack from me and smiled, looking at it. "Well done, Baroness Bluebreeze." I remained silent until a figure loudly opened the door and closed it behind herself.

"No manners today, Baroness Ashblade?" Danielle asked, rather annoyed. "Do you have your 'rent'?"

"Don't I always?" The Dragonspyreon scowled.

"No," The Princess replied.

"I'm going to punch you one day. Right in your coldheart." Brianna threatened as she reached into her pocket and threw gold pieces at us. I raised my sleeve to shield my face.

"Well atleast I don't have firebreath," Danielle taunted.

I always found it interesting how these two School-Opposites interact with eachother. Not to mention how they both have the same hairstyle except for one wears it red and the other wears it blue.

"One day we won't have to pay blackmail to you anymore, Moondreamer." Brianna said to the younger girl, who was fourteen whereas Brianna and I were fifteen and sixteen. Brianna being the oldest. "One day I'll overthrow Battleblade and Stormhunter, and then you and I, we'll be equal rank."

"I don't see that happening anytime soon," Danielle commented. "There are many social ranks higher than you other than just the princes. Have you forgotten about the Checks and Balances in Dragonspyre, as well?"

Brianna said nothing, she simply crossed her arms. "I won't give up," She said. "I promise. One day, Melissa and I will be free."


	6. Returning From Hence You Came!

"Blaaake.." I heard Tatiana whine as I was adjusting my royal attire in the mirror within my estate. "What does attending this party have to do with my training?"

She had a point. There was going to be a ball being held in Grizzleheim, and I, being the cousin of the princesses, was invited.

"..I wanna see if you can alter the water in the river." I told her as I fixed my bangs with my fingers.

"We've already tried that at Unicorn Way!" She protested.

"There's nothing wrong with more practice." I said as I went over and started adjusting the magenta-haired diviner's commander's coat, much to her displeasure.

I looked up just as Stephanie fluttered down the stairs. She wasn't wearing her guardian outfit, but instead a rather elegant looking servant's dress for the ball along with her elegant hat. Her ankle wasn't completely healed yet, but I had a feeling that it would be soon.

I looked at the white pouch that Stephanie had in her hands. "What's that?" I asked her.

"Oh, it's Princess Alyssa's new inhaler." She told me. "I thought it was necessary to get a new one."

I smiled and nodded. "That's very good. We'll be able to bring it to her tonight."

"Blake?" Stephanie began. "I plan to return back to the Royal Family tonight.. I don't know if we'll meet again unless you come to visit your cousins.

My heart sunk that my companion would be leaving, but I kept a smile, anyways. "Then I'll be sure to visit often."

Even Tatiana, who wasn't a part of this conversation, smiled.

"Now, then." I said, turning to the door. "I think that we should be on our way."

I lead the girls out of the large doors of my Dragonspyreon me even having to take out my wooden whistle, my royal lioness, Nala, rose from where she had been resting under a cherry blossom tree. I wonder.. How could this tree grow in a place with no real soil and a severe lack of rain?

Tatiana smiled. "Morgan and I are working together to get a two person rhino mount. We'll be able to go to even more places together!"

I smiled. "I see. You two will be unstoppable!" That is, if they haven't splattered eachother's brains all over the walls by then. I wonder how they would manage if they had a best friend break-up. What would happen to their mount, then?

"That's something that you may never know, Blake!"

I turned around to face the source of the sound. "Oh, Alex! Are you coming to the ball, too?"

He shook his head. "No, Blake. You go have fun! Maybe if you get home in a reasonable hour, we can play another game before you go to bed!"

I grinned. "Great idea, Alex!"

My tweenage companion waved to me before a rainbow formed under his feet as he walked away.

"..Blake!"

I shook my head and looked around with a look of confusion on my face until my eyes fell on Stephanie. "Ah.. Sorry!" I apologized quickly before I climbed onto Nala.

She began a calm walk to the world gate while Stephanie fluttered behind me and Tatiana walked at a fast pace ahead of me.

I pulled my spiral key out from under my hat and placed it into the world gate. I turned the key and opened the door. What seemed like a rippling reflection of the North Guard stood before us. I entered first with Nala. Stephanie and Tatiana were close behind me as Nala walked across the rainbow. It made sounds that reminded me of an xylophone or a child's piano.

I could tell as we approached the fortress that many Grizzleheim vendors were having a ball of their own with anticipation for all the customers that they would get tonight.

"That was a pretty powerful looking river." Tatiana commented. "..But I bet that it's probably freshwater."

"Of course it is," I told her. "That's where the people here get their drinking water from. And besides.. You'll be bending freshwater in no time."

It would be hard for a place like Grizzleheim to pull of something like a ball due to the bears and other citizens being less than graceful, so the event was mostly for the two princesses, who were more on the graceful side. It may have had something to due with them not being actual bears, but I'm not sure.

My mother, Natalie Fireflower, was the sister of Laura Rubyshield. Laura's the mother of both Alyssa and Jasmine, but maybe you know that already. Laura and Natalie's mother is Stephanie, who is the Theurgist that I had told Stephanie Lightsong about. Us grandkinds usually just call our grandmother "Granny Stephanie". Anyways, the only way that Granny Stephanie is involved with King Valgard is due to her daughter, Laura, being married to his son, Blaze Sparklestone. Granny Stephanie's husband was Oran Deathblade, AKA my blood grandfather. (This Oran is a far different one than the one infatuated with my cousin.) Technically, I'm not the blood grandson of King Valgard, but since he considered me family, I call him "granddaddy." It's kind of like how you might call your mother's best friend your aunt.

I decided that if Alex Rainbowwalker was still alive, he'd be the uncle of my future children, just like my brother will be. That is.. If I don't suffer the same fate that Alex did before Danielle and I marry and have kids.. Speaking of Danielle, where is she? She's supposed to be here.

"Looking for your girlfriend, Blake?"

I turned around to see Alex. "I thought you weren't coming." I smirked as I went over and put a hand around the ghost's shoulder.

He gave me a big smile. "I thought I'd come anyways."

"I was just thinking about you!" I told him. "I wish that you could be the uncle, or even godfather, of my kids!"

"I would have been happy to!" He told me.

When I looked away from him, I saw Tatiana and Stephanie Lightsong looking in our direction awkwardly.

"That's it," Tatiana began. "Blake has an imaginary boyfriend who he apparently has kids with."

Stephanie looked at Tatiana and sweatdropped.

"I'm going to tell everyone!" Tatiana cried out and ran off.

Alex gave me a peace sign and floated off as Stephanie walked over to me in herpretty servant's uniform. It was a light blue, somewhat lacey dress with a white apron on it.

"Hey, Stephanie. I don't know if I told you earlier, but you look great!" I told her.

"Thank you." She smiled and I could see her ears twitch under the small hat she had on.

"So." I sighed. "I guess this is our last conversation for awhile." I was really upset about this.

"I'm sure you can take care of yourself." She smirked.

"Yeah." I sighed a bit. "And I always got Wolf, too."

"Speaking of Wolf, isn't he here?" Stephanie cocked her head to the side a bit.

"Aww, yeah, I totally forgot!" I said, moving my silvery-white bangs out of my face. "Wolf's here with his Death apprentice."

As if he had heard our conversation, my brother walked over with a girl in a black and silver ball gown. For once, my brother wasn't wearing a dragoon cowl or some kind of hood, and his shiny black hair was visible that went well with his red eyes. He was never fond of wearing a crown. Instead, he had a hair clip to pull his bangs out of his face with a crown and dragon skull on it that said it all. He wasn't exactly dressed for a ball, since he was still wearing Dragonspyreon attire, but his date- Uh, apprentice, sure was. In addition to her ball gown, she also had a silver masquerade mask on, and behind it, I could see mischievous purple eyes. The silvery metallic mask went very well with her dark brown skin.

"It's been a long time, brother." Wolf nodded to me. Actually, it's only been like a week since I've seen him, but whatever. I probably should spend more time at the castle. Maybe Tatiana would like to see it some time.

"I guess." I said.

He approached Stephanie. "Is this your apprentice? She's lovely."

I saw Stephanie give a smirk that said "Surely, you're joking." Though really what she said out loud was "I'm a Transcended wizard."

My brother put his hand on his chest as he got down on one knee and bowed. "My apologies, my lady." He took her hand and kissed it, standing up afterwards. Stephanie didn't really seem to care. It was probably because she's older than him.

I looked over at the girl that Wolf had came with. "So, Wolf, who's the little lady?"

"Ah, Devin Crowheart." He said as he let go of Stephanie's hand and started walking back over. "She's isn't that much older than you, Blake. She's actually thirteen." He said as he stopped walking and stood right next to her.

She smiled a bit, and then turned a bit. "My prince, would it be alright if I had a dance with your brother?"

"I don't mind." Wolf responded plainly.

"Oh, hey, yeah!" I bet that Tatiana would totally love to dance with you!" I turned around and raised my hand to the side of my face as I called out. "Hey, Tatiana!"

The girl who had been nomming on salmon from the buffet spread gulped down the last bit of meat before running over to me. "What is it?" She asked while grinning.

I pointed my thumb over my shoulder. "My bro."

I saw Tatiana's jaw drop as she looked over at my sixteen-year-old brother, and she blushed. Maybe she had a thing for older guys or something, because she never really blushed around me. Or maybe she just didn't really like me like that.

Wolf held his hand out as Tatiana continued to stand there stupidly for a few seconds before taking his hand. I did the same and Devin took my hand. My brother and I both then began to dance with our own dance partner. I noticed pretty quickly that Devin started to smirk at me in an odd way with her eyes half-lidded. "Is something the matter, my lady?" I asked with a smile.

"Oh, not at all." She responded in a somewhat sultry voice. "I just never realized how handsome you were before."

I smiled a bit bigger. "Well, uh, thanks. I don't hear that all that often. Because, you know, my brother is pretty good look-"

I was cut off when Devin suddenly pushed up against me I was kinda freaked out, and I looked around to see if anyone had noticed or if Danielle was around. Seriously, Danielle would have chopped this girl's boobs off if she saw this.

"Uh, you know that I have a girlfriend, right?" I asked Devin a bit nervously.

"Oh, yes, my prince." But you see, I never get to talk to you because one of the girls is around you or you don't come back to the castle where your dear brother is. I have been waiting to speak to you for so long, my prince."

I wasn't sure what that had to do with her being so close to me, so I just kind of kept quiet.

"You see, you would do well dark with me." She said.

"Dark?" I asked.

Before I could get an answer, she pulled away from me. She planned that perfectly for the end of the dance and then went back over to Wolf as Tatiana returned to me.

I was confused. Seriously, what was up with that chick? That was just weird, but whatever. I turned to Tatiana. "Hey, let's go outside and train for a bit, okay?"

She nodded and I grabbed her hand, wading through the people to the door, which we reached more easily than I would have thought, considering all the people that were here at the "ball". The guards parted and opened the door for us, and then Tatiana and I ran down the outer steps and exited the sort of fortress surrounding the, I guess you could call it a palace? I mean, it isn't that much of a castle or anything like that.

When we approached the river, the wind began to pick up. I gazed up at the night sky and just wadded into the chilly river like that because I'm a Storm Wizard. Why would I care? Tatiana did the same, not seeming to care, either.

I lifted my hand, a small trail of water followed up and chased my hand as I moved it around until I flicked my fingers at Tatiana, the trail shooting at her and "exploding" on her face. She flinched and I knew what I did ticked her off a bit, just like I had planned. You see, what my plan was is that if I had ticked her off even a bit, it would give her even more motivation to try and bend the fresh water instead of giving up early as usual.

I could see her cross her arms in an x shape, and much to my surprise, water came up after her hands! She flicked her hands and they splashed onto my face. Disappointment set in when I licked my lips and tasted.. Saltwater.

"Hey, you almost got it!" I said, raising my arms and even a leg out of the water. "Hey, watch this." I moved my hands a bit after I put my leg down, and the flow of the river suddenly stopped. The water began to gather up behind me as if there was an invisible dam there. "Pretty impressive, huh?" I smirked.

"Yeah, I guuuess.." Tatiana said, not all that impressed. "But do you know what's even better?" She asked.

"What?"

She raised her arms above her head, and then tore them apart in a rough, violent motion.

I wasn't really sure what she was doing at first, but then I had seen that she broke the seal that I had set on the water and my eyes got wide. Next thing I know, I'm under water and being pushed along by a current. Damn, I couldn't see Tatiana anywhere. I seriously hope that she isn't drowning or something right now. For awhile, I just floated around, not really sure which direction was up and which was down. But then, my lungs started screaming for oxygen and I stopped screwing around and picked a direction to swim in. Luckily I chose the right direction because my head popped above the surface and I began gasping for air. I swam against the current that was starting to go down, and clung to the shore. When I got there, I saw that Tatiana was laying on the grass with something white and wet huddled up against her side. I stood up and went over, kicking her foot.

"That was stupid and not only could you have killed us, but you could have flooded the whole North Guard!" I screamed. I then looked down to see that the white thing was bleeding.

"..What is that?" I pointed to it, still kind of pissed off that we could have drowned or seriously messed up my cousins' place.

"It's a snow fox." She replied. "It was in some cage that must have gotten washed into the water with us. I got tangled in the rope, but freed the fox when I made it out of the water."

I kept quiet for a few seconds. "..Come on, we're going to the palace." I said, turning and walking towards the rainbow bridge as a roar came from near by. Nala pounced out of the bushed and started walking beside me.

"That's.. Not the way to the palace." I heard Tatiana say behind me.

I stopped in my tracks. "..That's not the palace that I was talking about. Now get your ass moving, damn you." I said in a dark and threatening tone without even looking at her.

•°•Tatiana's Perspective•°•

My body began to tremble from where it was on the ground as I looked at my mentor is horror. I have not a single doubt in my mind that he has never spoken to anyone this way in his life like he did to me just now. Unless, there's more to Blake than I thought. My eyes widened a bit as it hit me. Blake wasn't referring to the palace of his cousins. He wanted to return to HIS palace, back in Dragonspyre. I scooped the fox up in my arms and slowly rose. My body felt cold as the wind hit me, causing my magenta hair to stir. I have never known Blake to be at the Dragonspyre palace.

I slowly and cautiously fell in behind my mentor. I had no idea what he would be like when we got to the palace, or even tomorrow.

Blake resumed his way across the rainbow bridge, not saying a word to me the entire time. I wasn't sure which was more terrifying. The way he yelled at me or the fact that he wasn't talking to me at all now.

Right now.. The relationship between mentor and apprentice is not a good one.


	7. Jasmine Jasmine Burning Night

•°•The same evening that Blake snapped at Tatiana, in Jacqueline's Perspective•°•

"No!" I thrashed about as the iron chains stung my wrists and hugged my ankles.

"Don't move!"

I immediately stopped as a lance was thrust at me, just inches from my abdomen. My piercing blue eyes widened as I looked at Sergeant Muldoon holding his weapon at me. "What are you doing, Sergeant?!" I cried out. "I'm one of you! I'm a Transcended wizard from Ravenwood! Please don't tell me that you've forgotten me!"

"We haven't forgotten," Muldoon began, gripping his weapon. "But you aren't one of us, not anymore. Jacqueline, you're being executed for treason!"

"No!" I screamed. "NOOO!"

I gasped, and bolted up in bed. Hyperventilating, I looked around in the dark. Crap. It had been that dream again. My eyes then widened. I didn't oversleep, did I? I got up and ran over to the window. It was still pitch black out. Good.

I went over to my beauty station and brushed my hair briefly before changing into the clothing that I usually wore while going on missions as The Jackal. I made sure that I had the file of Kayla Watershard in addition to my katana and my companion, a defender pig.

I was prepared now. I stepped outside of my dorm as my black, feathered wings equipped. I brushed some of the sparkles off of them and gave them a few, hard flaps since I hadn't used them in a while. I moved as quietly and silently as I could, not wanting to catch Bartleby's attention. I made sure to stay in his blindspot as I entered his hollow, tree body and made my way to the World Gate. I fumbled around with my keys for awhile until I found my key to Krokotopia and inserted it into the lock, turning it and proceeding to pull it back out. I opened the world gate and saw Krokotopia as if I were looking at it in a rippling pool. I passed through the rippling image, my pet by my side the entire time.

My feet landed on the stone. There was usually a Mander here to greet people, just outside of Krokotopia's gate. I'm guessing he went to bed because it got late. I made my way over to the large doors and slowly opened them. I winced as they made a creaking sound, and I tried to squeezed through so that I wouldn't have to open them anymore. If I did, they would creak more, and I could get caught. The last thing I wanted was for that nightmare of mine to come true. I folded my wings against my back and managed to slip through. I whispered as I walked through the empty Oasis. "Okay, now what we need to do is.." I realized that something wasn't right, and I turned around to see my pet defender pig caught inbetween the doors. I face palmed and went over to get him out of there.

I tugged on my pet until he finally came free. The force of my pulling on him forced the doors wide open, and causing them to creak louder than ever. Well, that totally destroyed the purpose of being sneaky. I shook my head. "Come on," I whispered to him. I put my katana into its sheath on my belt and picked up my pet. I fluttered over the pond in the Oasis, lifting my feet up so that they wouldn't drag in the water.

When I had crossed the pond, I landed gently on the sand. I loved the sound that it made under my feet. I sighed and held my pet tightly as I whispered. "Krokotopia's so beautiful at night.." I knew something was wrong when I felt colder than usual. That means something, since I'm an Ice Wizard. I noticed part of a shadow on the sand, and realized that it was casted on me, as well. I set my pet down and yanked my katana out of its sheath as I whirled around. My black wings were stretched out like those of a swan that was protecting its young. My eyes widened when I saw a pair of piercing, bluish-green eyes looking at me.

I saw Equinox mounted on a black panther up ontop of the structure that contains Krokotopia's world gate. He was gazing down at me, expressionless. His jetblack, tattered clothing blew in the night's breeze. The moon light made his black hair shiny and beautiful. This cold, moonlit environment was what made him.

I gasped. "You..!"

I took a step back as his panther leaped down. His bluish-green eyes were locked with my own blue owns as his panther strode right through the Oasis pond, dragging its master's cape in the water. However, it seemed the Equinox had other things on his mind and couldn't care less about slightly damp clothing right now.

"What are you doing here?!" I whispered harshly.

"I could hear you screaming in your sleep." He crossed his arms a bit. "I thought you were hurt, but clearly you're fine."

"Oh, it sounds like you wished that I was hurt!" I snapped at him in a hushed voice.

Equinox made a fist as he demounted his black panther, holding the reins in his other hand as he made a fist. "That isn't it at all!" He snapped back, now angry.

"Oh, nevermind!" I shook my head. "Look, just, get out of my way! I have work to do, you know!"

Equinox stepped forward so that he was right next to me, but not looking at me. Instead he looked straight ahead while I did the same. "I know that. But you don't know why I'm here. I'm trying to catch a break from-"

"Hi, hi, you two!"

I knew that voice. I looked up to see Lady Soulblood now standing on the same structure that Equinox was not too long ago, her cape blowing in the wind. She had a masked rat magician pet beside her along with her ram. "My, my! I didn't expect to find all three of us in one spot like this!"

"You!" I snarled.

"Me.." She swooned.

I made fists and held them down by my sides. My hand that was holding my katana was shaking. I clenched my teeth. "I'm not done with you!" I roared.

I leaped, and, using my wings, soared upwards. I landed on the rooftop and swung my katana at the other evil-doer. She raised her "axe" in self defense and our weapons made a clang sound as they clashed. I had Lady Soulblood down on one knee, her axe above her head. I beared down on her, pushing my weight down onto her with my katana. She pushed up, her teeth clenched. She did what she could to keep herself safe from me. She lashed a heeled boot out at my shins. I let out a yelp as I lost my balance and tumbled off of the structure.. I fluttered my wings and turned myself up right, landing on my feet. I was about to make my way back up there when I heard Equinox call out to me.

"Didn't you have some work to do?"

I whirled around. "Are you serious? At a time like this?"

He rode over quickly on his black panther. "Go do what you need to. I can handle this." He moved his hand slowly infront of his face as Death magic followed his hand.

I hesitated, but finally gave in and put my faith in the other. "Fine, but don't make too much noise or you'll give me away!" I flew over past him and started my way to the pyramid with my pet in tow after I passed him as well.

•°•Lady Soulblood's Perspective•°•

I made a whining sound as I looked at the male, pretending to pout. "Oh, Valerian, you're really going to fight me? After what I did?"

I watched as he clenched his teeth and looked at me with burning hatred. "Don't call me that! You know I don't go by that name anymore!"

I climbed onto Shadowhorn, my tawny ram, with Zoey, my magician rat, and leaped down onto the sand before him. I set Zoey down and let her run over to Equinox's wraith that then headed for her. I watched for a moment as the two began to brawl. I then turned my attention back to the other wizard. "I don't see why you insist on going by Equinox. Valerian is a beautiful name!"

"IT'S NOT BEAUTIFUL!" He spat. "It's putrid! I'll never go by that name again! Not after what they did!" His black panther lunged at Shadowhorn with him on it, and he went to beat me with his staff. Or so I thought. What he actually did was knock my axe out of my hands. Dammit. Now I couldn't defend myself nearly as well.

My eyes widened behind my mask.

But I still did what I could to defend myself. I waved my hands and drew the Balance insignia. "Spirit Shield!" I watched as the wards appeared and circled around Shadowhorn and I. My ram broke into a sprint the moment that Equinox started chasing after me on his black panther. The wards continued to circle around us. Equinox was a Death Wizard, so hopefully these shields would protect us from whatever he was planning to do.

"There's something you didn't realize!" Equinox called out to me as he chased after on his black panther. My eyes widened as he drew the Ice insignia with his staff. "..My secondary school is Ice!" I watched in horror as an Ice Serpent was formed. It shot itself out at us and began to spin itself around us in a circular motion, causing Shadowhorn to seize his running. The damage was dealt and both Shadowhorn and I yelled out. I was thrown off of my ram and onto the sandy ground. I looked up as Equinox's black panther slid to the side and eventually to a halt. When it did so, he jumped off, dropping his staff. He sat roughly on my stomach with his knees. I gasped when all of his weight came crashing down on me at once. "You may have freed me, but it's not like I owe you or anything." He scowled.

"I.. I don't expect anything." I said back. "I never did… Valerian."

I gasped as he pushed my chest down forcefully with one hand, holding a ball of concentrated Death magic in the other right next to my head. "How many times do I have to tell you not to call me that, Jasmine?!" He lashed out at me. He growled. "Do you realize what kind of rage that name fills me with? What I am tempted to do to you right now?"

That very name made him so enraged that he now had me pinned to the ground while holding Death magic to my head. It sounded like he was going to kill me.

And I still wanted to push his limits!

"Oh, Valerian~ You'd never lay a finger on me!" I tried to make it sound like I was flirting, but I would totally never flirt with Valerian. My heart belonged to someone else. And I'll give you a hint.. He's a Pyromancer. I moved my head to the side quickly as Valerian pounded his Death wielding fist into the sand. He was about to pull up and hit me again when The Jackal came flying out of the pyramid with a sleeping bundle in her arms.

"Equinox! I'm done! You can quit now!"

Valerian glared at me. "You're lucky. If it wasn't for her, you'd be long dead." He got off of me, but not before roughly kicking me in the side. I let out a yelp. I watched as Valerian got back on his black panther and tore his Wraith away from Zoey before leaving with The Jackal. I closed my eyes. I would be getting up soon, real soon. I would have to. I would have to get back to Wizard City before Sabrina Legendbreaker realized that I was gone. She and I were having a sleepover together at her dorm like friends do. I'll be up soon, I promise.

Just let me rest awhile..


	8. The Wraith That Consumes

•°•The night that Blake snapped at Tatiana, in Stephanie's Perspective•°•

I tied the white apron into a bow around my back just the way I would tie Alyssa's dress ribbon into a bow behind her back. That was back when things were still joyful and before he came along. Before he injured my ankle.

I fluttered my seraph wings gently and made it over to the end table where a pouch sat. I picked it up gently and held it in my hands, running my thumb across the velveteen material. "I'll have to be extra careful with this." I then turned and fluttered down the stairs where Blake and Tatiana were waiting. I could already hear Tatiana protesting.

As I descended down, I caught Blake's eye. He was adjusting the commander's coat that he had gotten Tatiana to wear. He himself was wearing royal attire. His eyes then moved to the pouch in my hands. "What's that?" He asked me.

"Oh, it's Princess Alyssa's new inhaler," I told him. "I thought it was necessary to get a new one."

Blake smiled at me and nodded. "That's very good. We'll be able to bring it to her tonight."

"Blake?" I began. "I plan to return back to the Royal Family tonight.. I don't know if we'll meet again unless you come to visit your cousins."

I could see the sadness and disappointment in Blake's eyes as he smiled. "Then I'll be sure to visit often." His words filled me with hope that someone cared enough to come visit a servant like myself. Even Tatiana smiled at this.

"Now then," Blake said as he turned to face his door. "I think that we should be on our way." Tatiana followed close behind Blake and I lagged just a bit behind as I fluttered slowly, not wanting to put weight on my healing ankle. When we were just outside of the house, Blake drew a whistle and blew into it, calling over Nala.

Tatiana smiled as the lioness came over. "Morgan and I are working together to get a two person rhino mount.. Then we'll be able to go even more places together!"

Blake was supportive as he responded to that. "I see. Then, you two will be unstoppable!" I loved the bond that Tatiana and Morgan had. It was almost as if they were blind to the potential danger that they had, being a Myth and Storm wizard. They could easily turn and hate each other one day. Suddenly, Blake turned his head and spoke.

"Oh, Alex! Are you coming to the ball, too?"

Tatiana and I exchanged a look. Blake was doing it again.

Blake paused, as if waiting for someone to speak before talking again. "Great idea, Alex!" He grinned and then waved in the direction of the non-existent person.

"..Blake..!" I cried out to him.

Blake shook his head and looked around in confusion until his eyes fell on me. "Ah, sorry.." He apologized quickly before climbing onto Nala. We continued our path to his World Gate and waited as he put his key in, turning it in the lock before pulling it back out. I gazed at the rippling reflection of the Northguard before passing through and fluttering down the rainbow bridge.

"That was a pretty powerful river," Tatiana commented as we started passing the eager vendors. "..But I bet that it's probably freshwater."

"Of course it is." Blake told her. "That's where the people here get their drinking water from. Besides.. You'll be bending freshwater in no time."

Soon we were within the "palace" itself. There were guests everywhere in elegant outfits. They were chatting, dancing, and eating from the buffet line. Most of the guests were human wizards that mainly consisted of nobles such as Blake and the princesses. I think that I recognized Melissa Bluebreeze, a baroness form Marleybone that was in charge of Chelsea Court.

All of a sudden, Blake was at it again. I turned the moment that he said "I thought that you weren't coming." He smirked and put his arm around the shoulder of a being that just wasn't there. There was a long pause before Blake said. "I was just thinking about you! I wish that you could be the uncle, or even grandfather, of my kids!" Blake then looked over in Tatiana and I's direction as we stared at him awkwardly.

"That's it," Tatiana began. "Blake has an imaginary boyfriend who he apparently has kids with." I looked over at Tatiana when she said that and sweatdropped. What a bizarre thing to say. "I'm going to tell everyone!" She cried out and ran off. Once she was gone, I fluttered over to Blake.

"Hey, Stephanie. I don't know if I told you earlier, but you look great!" He said to me as his eyes examined my servant's uniform.

"Thank you." I smiled, my ears twitching a bit under my hat.

"So," Blake sighed, "I guess this is our last conversation for awhile." I could tell that Blake was genuinely upset about our departing.

I tried to lighten the mood a bit. "I'm sure that you can take care of yourself."

"Yeah." He sighed a bit, still down. "And I always got Wolf, too."

"Speaking of Wolf, isn't he here?" I cocked my head to the side a bit like a young and naive puppy dog would.

"Aww, yeah! I totally forgot!" Blake said as he moved his silvery bangs out of his eyes. "Wolf's here with his Death apprentice."

As if on cue, the attractive, raven haired Legendary Death wizard made his way over to us with a girl of adark skin color that was wearing a black and silver dress along with a masquerade mask. "It's been a long time, brother." Wolf nodded to Blake. Just how long has it been since Blake's been at the Dragonspyre palace?

"I guess." He responded dryly.

I was cautious as the older of the two princes approached me. "Is this your apprentice? She's lovely."

I smirked at the prince. Surely, he must have been joking. Could he not tell by my appearance that I was beyond apprenticeship? I wanted to say something smart to him, but all that I said to him was "I'm a Transcendent Wizard." Afterall, it isn't a servant's place to talk back. Especially to nobles and royalty.

Wolf put his hand on one chest and got down on one knee, bowing. "My apologies, my lady." He took my hand gently, as if he had done this before, and then kissed it tenderly with soft lips. He stood up. I was indifferent about how he apologized or whether he did it or not. Perhaps he had no idea that I was a servant and didn't need apologies.

Blake looked over at the girl in the masquerade costume. "So, Wolf, who's the little lady?"

"Ah, Devin Crowheart." Wolf finally let go of my hand as he walked over to his apprentice. I took this time to leave. As I was walking away, I could hear the prince talking to his younger brother about her age and what not. As I walked, I could hear other guests talking.

"Oh my goblin, do you know who that is? It's Wolf Battleblade! The heir to the Dragonspyreon throne!" one female said to two others.

They tried to whisper, but my keen ears still picked up on what they were saying. "Legend has it that even heterosexual men fall for him and turn bisexual!"

I scoffed a bit. I didn't see what the big deal was. He wasn't that attractive. And certainly not attractive enough to change one's own sexual orientation. I headed to the "behind the scenes" part of the palace where a few she-wolf servants were working.

"Welcome back, Stephanie." A few greeted me. I nodded a bit and continued on. I wanted to find King Valgard. I passed more servants on my way. They all greeted me. I finally came to the king's chambers and knocked on the door delicately. "Permission to enter?" I asked.

I heard a gruff voice respond with "Permission granted." I pushed the doors open where the polar bear was putting on some of his best armor for the occasion.

"That armor is grand, if I may say so, your highness." I told the king as I got on one knee and bowed, despite the pain in my ankle.

"Rise," The king told me. "I can tell that you are injured. There is no need to induce pain."

I did as his majesty said and rose, fluttering with my wings a bit.

"I see that you have returned from your absence. I welcome you back. I can tell that you aren't ready to tell me why you left, and I won't force you to. But I will ask what is in that pouch that you in your hands."

"It's Princess Alyssa's new inhaler." I explained. "I thought that I could perhaps bring it to her."

"A wise idea indeed. If you have no more to bring up with me, then you are dismissed."

"Yes, my king." I bowed my head before I turned and left the room, carrying the inhaler. I continued to the long, torch lit hallway until I stopped at a familiar room and knocked gently on the door.

"Come in!" A young voice called, and I opened the door to see Alyssa sitting at a simplicated beauty station. I smiled to myself and stepped inside, closing the door behind me.

"Princess, the ball's already started. Why are you still are in your quarters?" I asked her.

"I.. I couldn't get the lipstick just right!" Alyssa said as she looked in the mirror with determination as she screwed up a tube of rouge make-up. It was likely something that belonged to Lady Laura or Stephanie that they had passed down to her for when she was older. Or, it could have belonged to Princess Jasmine.

My smile to myself only grew bigger as I went over to Alyssa and carefully took the lipstick from her and smiled softly at her. "My princess, your beauty is outstanding in ways that this make-up can't even yet compare to. Perhaps it will have a chance to catch up with you in a few years' time."

Alyssa grinned and understood what I was saying- At six years old, she was too young to be wearing lipstick. "Then," She began. "Does Stephanie know what is worthy of me?"

I pulled a wooden stool over next to Alyssa's beauty station and sat on it as I opened a drawer. "Let's see now. "Ah! Here we are. The lip balm that was crafted for your by your father." I picked up a small, circular wooden container with a butterfly engraved onto the lid. "May I?" I asked as I held the container up.

Alyssa nodded. "Yes, you may!"

I unscrewed the lid and rubbed my finger ever so gently across the pale pasty lip balm, getting a bit on my finger. I glided my finger gently over Alyssa's lips until enough was applied, and then sealed the lip balm again and put it away.

"Can Stephanie also put my hair up in pigtails? Please?" The young princess asked with bright, chocolate eyes.

I smiled. "I certainly can. What hair ties would you like me to use?"

Alyssa got up from her spot at the beauty station and ran over to the other side of the room, opening the drawer to her nightstand. I turned a bit to look as Alyssa rummaged through it, before holding something up victoriously and shouting "Ah ha!" She closed the drawer and ran over to me with the items, holding them out before me. "These, please!"

What Alyssa held out to me was a set of hair ties with large, green and purple crinkly butterflies on them that had streamers hanging down. I can't imagine where she may have gotten them from, but I can almost guarantee you that they weren't made here in Grizzleheim. I smiled. "These are gorgeous." I picked up Alyssa's hair brush and she spun around without me needing to politely ask her. I brushed and began to separate her hair before gathering it up on each side of her head and tying the butterfly hair ties in. When I was done and set the hairbrush down, Alyssa took a look at herself in the mirror. "Ah! I look amazing, Stephanie! There's only one thing left!"

"And what might that be?" I smiled.

Alyssa pointed to a shelf on the other side of the room. "The butterfly masquerade mask that used to belong to Granny Stephanie!"

I got up from the stool that I was seated at and gently fluttered up to the high shelf and picked it up gently. "This one?" I asked.

"Uh huh!" Alyssa responded. "But you gotta be suuuper careful! It's really old and fragile!"

"It's very beautiful," I said as I fluttered back over to her. "I'm sure that your grandmother wore it well." Alyssa held the mask up to her face as I tied the silky black ribbons into a bow behind her head to fasten it. "There we go."

"Ah! Thank you, Stephanie!" Alyssa thanked me as she looked at her reflection in amazement. "I look perfect."

"Of course." I smiled. I then hesitated before adding "Where might your sister be?"

Alyssa turned to me and put a finger on her chin as she gazed up in thought. "Jasmine? I haven't seen her all night.. Maybe she's having trouble getting into a dress or something..?"

"That may be." I nodded. "If you don't mind, I think I'll go check on her."

Alyssa smiled. "That's fine! You've been helping me for awhile now."

I dipped my head in a bow. "Thank you, princess." After that, I stood back up straight and gingerly headed out of the room, closing the door quietly behind me.

I mindlessly headed down the corridor that I traveled daily without any trouble to Jasmine's quarters. It was much to my surprise when I was suddenly grabbed by the arm roughly.

I gasped in surprise and turned my head, the first thing I saw blurred red and a goldish bow and arrow, and then his goldish, dirty blonde hair and brown eyes. It was Blaine Bearbane, Laura's boyfriend during the time that Blaze Sparklestone was on leave.

"I thought that I told you to leave and never return." He whispered harshly.

I straightened up and whirled around to face him. "I have duties to attend to." I glared at him.

"A misfit like you isn't FIT to be here." He pulled me by the collar of my uniform. "You're human nor fox. There's no place for you here!"

Then I did it. I talked back to a superior. "YOU are only upset because Lady Laura and Sir Blaze have gotten back together!" I pointed at him accusingly. "You know that the lady won't keep you around for much longer! Therefore, you are taking your anger out on your natural enemy, and ice wizard. And a servant no doubt! Do you believe that by disposing of me, Laura will think that you are needed to help raise the girls?!" I took a deep breath as my eyes widened and my face reddened with how exhausted I was at that rant I just made.

Blaine's eyes widened as he gazed at me with pure hatred. "That wasn't my plan, but you just gave me a magnificent idea." Using his strength, he lifted me up by the collar of my uniform. "I'll murder the princesses, and when I turn you in for it, I'll be praised and finally given enough power to rid this world of its awful bear species!"

My eyes widened as I gazed down at him. "Is that why you're called "Bearbane?!" My voice rose to near-panic, and then to full on panic. "YOU MONSTER! I'LL NEVER LET YOU LAY A HAND ON THE PRINCESSES!"

I held my hands up, firing a blast of basic ice magic at him. He cried out and dropped me at once, and I took the moment to flee back to Princess Alyssa's bedroom.

The child looked up as she was slipping her feet into a pair of ballet flats the same green as her dress. "Stephanie, what is it?"

"We have to go!" I cried out, grabbing her arm.

"But, my shoes!" She protested.

"There's no time!" I screamed, pulling her with me as one of her feet pulled out of the shoe. As we ran, I heard the uneven noise of a bare foot and a shoed foot hitting the floor as we ran to Princess Jasmine's room.

"Princess Jasmine!" I cried out as I entered the princess's bedroom, only to freeze when I realized that the room was empty. She wasn't here.

"No!" I cried out. "It can't be that I'm too late!"

Alyssa began to shake in my hand. "Stephanie! I'm scared!"

"..I know." I said, pulling her infront of me. I leaned down and grabbed Alyssa's hands in my own. "Listen very carefully. I need you to stay here while I search for your big sister."

"But-!" She protested.

"Please!" I begged as I ran out of the room and peered into the room where the ball was taking place.

I peered into the ball room and scanned the area. Jasmine wasn't here, I couldn't find her.

I hurried along the wall edge of the ball room and outside when I heard Alyssa cry out.

He had gotten her!

"PRINCESS ALYSSA!" I screamed, my ears twitching as I follow her cries.

I stopped in horror when I saw Alyssa backed up against a tree with Blaine pointing at her heart-on with his bow and arrow.

Tears dripped down Alyssa's face. "Why, Blaine..?"

Blaine then whirled around, his arrow pointed at me. "Heed my every order if you want this girl to live."

My ears flattened. "..Yes, sir."

"Transform." He commanded.

A bluish light engulfed me as the band holding my white tresses snapped, and my hair grew down my back. My form changed, and I was on my hands and knees as my hair became fur that covered my whole body until I was a petite snow fox.

Blaine threw his bow and arrow to the side before ripping a coil from his belt. He cracked it, and in a split second I felt pain all over my body. My eyes blinked heavily with the pain. I looked through red to see that it was a whip, and now he was beginning to repeatedly strike me with me.

"NO!" Alyssa cried in horror, grasping her face.

Holding the whip, Blaine came over and picked me up by the scruff. He carried me down by the river and shoved me in a lobster trap.

"Now," He began, holding it up. "I can eliminate this girl and turn you in now that I have you caged!"

I whimpered. He said he wouldn't hurt her if I cooperated!

Blaine then turned, his eyes widening as a tsunami like waved shadowed over us. Everything got dark and cold, and then that's the last thing that I remember.

•°•Later that evening, Blake's Perspective•°•

"Alex!" I ran to my tweenage friend in the Dragoon's cowl. "Alex, I have great news!" I said as I grasped his hand.

"Yeah, what is it?" He asked, his eyes shining bright.

"I got a great idea today! Using your Necromancy, we can bring my mom back!"

Alex's eyes immediately darkened and his mouth was agap. "Blake.."

"Come on, it'll be easy! I'll have my mom back and everything will be great!"

"Blake, that's wrong! It's not possible!" Alex ripped his hand away from me, turning his back and crossing his arms.

I frowned, extremely upset. "Alex Rainbowwalker, if you truly cared about me, then you would attempt this for me! It's my birthday!" I reminded him, hitting him upside the head.

"Ow!" Alex grasped his cowl, and then turned to me as he sighed. "I do care about you.." He smiled softly. "Okay.. I guess it won't hurt to try."

•°•

"Is this the place?"

"Yes, this is it!" I ran up to a an old abandoned Dragonspyreon tower and gazed up at it. "The Fleshless Tower! It's a perfect place to perform Necromancy!"

"Huh.. If you say so." Alex didn't seem so sure.

"Come on! It'll be fine!" I jiggled the handle before I finally got the door to open, and dust poured down on us.

"Aah!" Alex cried out.

"It'll be fine!" I said, wiping dust off of his cowl as I closed the door behind us. I didn't want anyone to see what we were doing.

"Come on, let's start drawing the Global Circle!" I said, using my finger to draw in the dust.

"Right!" Alex said, adding to the circle from another side of the room.

"There we go!" I blew the dust off of my hands. "Do you have the spell?"

"Yep!" Alex held up a Treasure Card of "Animate", a spell that was too high up for him to use just now. "Dworygn has most Death students do a reeeally hard quest to get this spell, because it can be dangerous! I just have to make the final adjustment." He dipped a quill in a well of ink and wrote "re" on the card, making it "Reanimate".

I watched as the Necromancy boy stepped on the sun sub-circle, and snapped his fingers. The Treasure Card became ashes in his hand, and he blew a gentle breath as it landed softly in the middle of the Global Circle. He then waved his wand, drawing the Death Insignia. "REANIMATE!" He cried out as the runes of the circle began to glow, and something began rising up out of the center of the circle.

"Mom!" I cried out with glee.

But this.. Wasn't mom.

It was a Wraith, and an ugly one.

I began trembling in my boots. "M-M-Mom? Alex?!"

"Something's wrong!" He breathed. "This shouldn't be happening!"

"Are you the wizard that summoned me?"

"Y-Y-Yes.." Alex trembled.

I watched in all horror as this Wraith dived at him. "ALEX!" I cried out, but it was useless. The wraith bit into his arm, pulling up and ripping the flesh off. I screamed as it devoured his skin hungrily and then went back down for more.

"BLAKE! IT HURTS!" He screamed.

Alex's now skeletonized hand fell to the ground as the Wraith went for his face next. Alex arched his back on the ground, screaming bloody murder. He twisted his face around to look at me, and then I screamed. Half of his face was muscle, and one of his eyes was missing.

"NO! THIS ISN'T RIGHT! THIS ISN'T RIGHT!" I screamed harder than I ever had in my life. I leaned down and threw up. There was a bit of blood in it with how hard I strained my throat. I continued to cry and throw up as this creature stripped my friend and proceeded to devour all of him. His organs included. I wanted to cry as I heard blood splatter onto the ground. I don't even think Alex was alive at this point. I think he died from blood loss, or shock, right around the time that his entrails were being devoured.

I heard a burp and looked up, quivering. The Wraith was disgustingly bloated as it sucked the last of Alex's flesh off of his toes. By the way it looked, I wouldn't be surprised if it had swallowed one of his boots, as well. I was upset and hungry. I had thrown up about three years worth of food. I wanted to punch it the stomach until it threw up and understood how I felt. Its bloated stomach was taunting me. The remains of my friend were in there, probably to be digested if it weren't for the fact that this thing was undead.

The Wraith got up and wobbled towards me. It was going to eat me next. I knew it. But the stupid thing ate too much and fell over, and that's when I got most of my strength back. Most. I had just thrown up really violently.

I got up and ran over to it, punching it in the face. "DAMN YOU, DAMN YOU, DAMN YOU!" I screamed. "GIVE HIM BACK! GIVE HIM BAAAAAAAACK!" I wailed, punching it in the stomach as electricity volted from my hands.

"It's no use, child." It rasped tauntingly as it became more and more transparent. "He's gone. This is the price you pay for trying to bring someone back from the dead."

The Wraith finally went transparent fully and I knew that it had vanished. I stood up and screamed, thunder roaring louder than myself as lightning zapped around the room, blowing the roof off of the tower. It was then that the Storm Lords gave me their power, and I reached my full potential as a student of Divination.

My hands trembled violently, I was furious. "I'm… I'm going to use this power.. I'm going to-!"

•°•

I immediately woke up in bed, gasping for breath. My heart was pounding painfully and I felt ill. The bloodied snow fox that was sleeping on my bed was startled, and stared at me in the dark.

I gripped my hair with my hands. "It was only a flashback," I told myself. "Just a nightmare, just a nightmare." Tears began to stream down my face as I sobbed quietly. "Alex doesn't hate you for this, he told you. He doesn't hate you, he doesn't!" I then gripped my aching heart as I hufffed pained breaths. "It hurts, it hurts!"


End file.
